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Gaining Power and Influence

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Jenifer Avina, Patricia Rocha, Kelly Nguyen, Albert Dam

HCA 410, Sec 3 Group 10

California State University, Long Beach

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What is it to Gain power and Influence?

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Gaining power is to overcome feelings of powerless and converting power effectively into interpersonal influence in ways that avoid the abuse of power

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What is Power and Influence?

  • Power

Refers to the ability to control one’s own and others’ resources. Is a ubiquitous phenomenon that triggers important behavioral changes

  • Influence

A power affecting a person, thing, or course of events, especially one that operates without any direct or apparent effort

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Lack of Power

  • Conjuring up images of vindictive
  • Domineering bosses and manipulative
  • Cunning subordinates
  • Underperformed in complex tasks
  • Low power people generally try to be more accurate and gather more information to help them regain control

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Abuse of Power

  • “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”
  • Abuse of Office
  • Betraying others’ trust
  • Overly ambitious; playing politics and always trying to move up
  • Unable to delegate to others or built a team
  • Cold, aloof, and arrogant

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The Necessity of Power and Empowerment

  • Need for Power- an expressed desire for control, or influence, over others

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  • Power- the potential to influence behavior and being able to get things done
  • Empowerment- the use of acquired power to give others power in order to accomplish objectives; it strikes a balance between lack of power and abuse of power

*Power- learning how to use it wisely

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  • Providing freedom for individuals to be successful in what they want to do
  • Removing controls, constraints, and boundaries
  • Pull Strategy opposed to Push Strategy- by designing a situation that will energize employees by providing intrinsic encouragement
  • Empowered employees are more productive , more satisfied and more innovative

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Sources of Personal Power

Four significant, personal characteristics

  • Expertise reflects knowledge and capabilities

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  • Personal attraction involves affective appeal

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  • Effort suggests personal commitment and motivation

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  • Legitimacy conveys consistency with key values

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Expertise

  • Work-related knowledge
  • Formal education
  • Self-directed learning
  • On-the-job experience

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Attraction�Charisma - Agreeable Behavior - Physical Characteristics

  • Charisma engenders devotion and enthusiasm
  • Agreeable behavior leads to a supportive and loyal relationship
  • Physical attractiveness is assumed to prompt success

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A highly significant and valuable personal asset

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  • Dependable
  • Reliable human resources
  • Trusted by coworkers and supervisors
  • Enhances other personal characteristics
  • Increased responsibility

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Legitimacy

  • Increases acceptance, which leads to personal influence
  • Distinctiveness
  • High standard
  • Reduce uncertainty
  • Symbolic

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Sources of Positional Power

Power resulting directly from the position and tasks performed by a particular group.

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Determinants of Positional Powers

  • Centrality
  • Flexibility
  • Visibility
  • Relevance

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Centrality

  • Definition : The access to information in a broad and diverse communication network.
  • It is not what you know, it’s WHO you know.
  • How important is networking?

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Centrality

  • Socializing, Networking with all different department.
  • Informal Power: Power that is not tied to any position, often resulting from personal characteristics. This power allows the person/group to influence and/or represent a community without formal decision making.
  • Powerful people have powerful friends.

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Centrality

  • Three related conceptualization:
    • Betweeness
    • Connectedness
    • Proximity or closeness

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Flexibility

  • Definition: Ability to improvise/ innovate. Freedom to exercise one’s judgment.
  • Different position requires different decision making.

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Flexibility

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  • Adaptation
  • Encouragement

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Visibility

  • Definition: The state of being able to see clear of who are the “influential” people within the organization.

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Visibility

  • Number of influential people
  • Similarities between centrality/visibility
  • Ways to gain visibility
    • Surrounding environment
    • Participation

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Relevance

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  • Definition: association with activities that are directly related to the organization.
  • The bigger picture.

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Relevance

  • Getting involve –
    • With co-workers on professional terms
    • In decisions making
  • Active participation / interaction
    • Opportunity to develop internal or external boundary roles. – Other Work units
  • Impact
  • Enhancing performance

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Transforming Power into Influence

  • Influential people have power, but not all powerful people have influences.

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Influences Strategies: The Three Rs.

  • Retribution – A form of punishment that is considered to be a threat.
    • Direct Approach : Coercion - Threatening
    • Indirect Approach: Intimidation – Pressure
    • EX: If you don’t do as I say, your chance of promotion will be at risk.

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Influences Strategies: The Three Rs

  • Reciprocity – Bargaining where both individuals/group would be gaining from the trade.
    • Direct Approach: Bargaining - Exchange
    • Indirect Approach: Ingratiation - Obligate
    • Exchange of favors
      • EX: If you want this weekend off, then in return you would work the next three weekends.
      • I’ll do this favor for you, if you could take my shifts next week.

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Influences Strategies: The Three Rs

  • Reason : Painting a picture for others to see why what is needed is important.
    • Presenting facts (needs)
    • Appeal to personal values ( or goals)
    • Ex: If we are friends, then you would do me this big favor.

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Retribution: Pros & Cons

  • Pros
    • Quick, direct action
    • Produces immediate effect
    • Follows manager specification
  • Cons
    • Creates resistance, resentment, alienation
    • Stifles initiative and innovation

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAFNdVAhZC4

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Reciprocity: Pros & Cons

  • Pros
    • Get results without resentment
    • Both parties benefit
    • Don’t have to justify actions
  • Cons
    • Requires trust
    • Subordinates expect negotiation for every request

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Reason: Pros & Cons

  • Pros
    • High level of job satisfaction
    • Seen as highly effective
    • Low level of stress
  • Cons
    • Takes time to build trust and understand
    • More people more time
    • Requires common goals and values

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Questions for YOU!

  • Name one source of personal power.
    • Expertise, Attraction, Effort, or Legitimacy
  • What is to Gain Power and Influence? 
    • Gaining power is to overcome feelings of powerless and converting power effectively into interpersonal influence in ways that avoid the abuse of power.
  • What is one Con when using retribution as a influence strategy?
    • Creates resistance, resentment, alienation

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QUESTIONS?!?!

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References

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References

  • Radmila., Prislin., Vanessa., Sawicki. (2011) New majorities’ abuse of power: Effect of perceived control and social support. SAGE http://gpi.sagepub.com/content/14/4/489.2011; DOI: 10.1177/1368430210391310
  • Ricketts, K. (2009). Power basics. (Master's thesis, University of Kentucky)Retrieved from http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/elk2/elk2103/elk2103
  • Stagl, H. (November 10, 2011). Four Sources of Personal Power in Organizations. In Enclaria. Retrieved November 30, 2012, from http://www.enclaria.com/2011/11/10/four-sources-of-personal-power-in-organizations/.
  • Sutton., Robert. (2010) Why good bosses tune in to their people. Business Source Premier. 2010 [Business Source Premier 52645928]
  • The World Bank Group. (2011). What is Empowerment. In The World Bank. Retrieved Novermber 30, 2012, from http://go.worldbank.org/V45HD4P100.
  • Whetten, D., Cameron, K. (2011). Developing Management Skills (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

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